• Intelligencer
  • The Cut
  • Vulture
  • The Strategist
  • Curbed
  • Grub Street
  • Subscribe to the Magazine Give a Gift Subscription Buy Back Issues Current Issue Contents New York Shop
    Subscribe to New York Magazine
  • Subscribe
  • Profile
    Sign Out
The Cut
  • Style
  • Self
  • Culture
  • Power
Style
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Parties & Red Carpet
  • Fashion Shows
  • Cathy Horyn
  • The Cut Shop
Self
  • Health & Wellness
  • The State of the Uterus
  • Parenting
  • Advice
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Horoscopes
Culture
  • Books
  • Television
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Celebrity
Power
  • Politics
  • Work
  • Money
  • Rebecca Traister
More
  • Latest Stories
  • Video
  • About Us
  • nymag.com
  • New York Magazine
  • Intelligencer
  • Vulture
  • The Cut
  • The Strategist
  • Grub Street
  • Curbed
women in tights
July 20, 2012

Slideshow: Celebrating the Best-Dressed Lady Superheroes

By Sally Holmes

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet
Photo: Everett Collection

The best thing about being a superhero, besides the ability to fly and see through walls, is that you can dart around a city without wearing pants and no one will give you any trouble. It makes sense — cropped trousers and harem pants are great if you’re sitting at a desk all day, but spandex tights and leather bodysuits are much more work-friendly if you’re in the crime-fighting business. So, in honor of Anne Hathaway’s debut as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises, we celebrate these pantless, leather-clad ladies of comic-book and fantasy fame. Click ahead to see some of the most fashionable lady superheroes, from Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman to Halle Berry as Catwoman, and a few villains (how could we possibly leave out Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy with her Taylor Tomasi red hair and shiny, green leotard?) in our slideshow.

View
1 / 30 Photos
Catwoman Lee Meriwether in Batman: The Movie, 1966 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Catwoman Julie Newmar in Batman, 1966-1968 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Batgirl Yvonne Craig in Batman, 1966-1968 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Batgirl Yvonne Craig in Batman, 1966-1968 Photo: Copyright ? 20th Century Fox Licensing/Merchandising / Everett Collection
Batgirl Yvonne Craig in Batman, 1966-1968 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Catwoman Eartha Kitt in Batman, 1967 Photo: Copyright ? 20th Century Fox Licensing/Merchandising / Everett Collection
Wonder Woman Lynda Carter in The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, 1975-1979 Photo: Copyright ? Everett Collection / Everett Collection
Electra Woman and Dyna Girl Judy Strangis and Deidre Hall in Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, 1976 Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection
Ursa Sarah Douglas and Margot Kidder in Superman II, 1980 Photo: ?Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Supergirl Helen Slater in Supergirl, 1984
Catwoman Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns, 1992 Photo: ?Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Batgirl Alicia Silverstone in Batman and Robin, 1997 Photo: ?Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Poison Ivy Uma Thurman in Batman and Robin, 1997 Photo: ?Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Ashley Scott, Rachel Skarsten, and Dina Meyer in Birds of Prey, 2002 Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection
Jessica Alba in Dark Angel, 2000-2002 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Rogue Anna Paquin in X-Men 2, 2003 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Mystique Rebecca Romijn in X-Men 2, 2003 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Lady Deathstrike Kelly Hu in X-Men 2, 2003 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Phoenix Famke Janssen in X-Men 2, 2003 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Catwoman Halle Berry in Catwoman, 2004 Photo: ?Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Sue Storm Jessica Alba in Fantastic Four, 2005 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Æon Flux Charlize Theron in Aeon Flux, 2005 Photo: Copyright ? ?Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection
Elektra Jennifer Garner in Elektra, 2005 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Shadowcat Ellen Page in X-Men: The Last Stand, 2006 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Storm Halle Berry in X-Men: The Last Stand, 2006 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Phoenix Famke Janssen in X-Men: The Last Stand, 2006 Photo: ?20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Hit-Girl Chloë Moretz in Kick-Ass, 2010 Photo: Photo Credit: Daniel Smith/Copyright ? ?Lions Gate/courtesy Everett Collecti / Everett C... Hit-Girl Chloë Moretz in Kick-Ass, 2010 Photo: Photo Credit: Daniel Smith/Copyright ? ?Lions Gate/courtesy Everett Collecti / Everett Collection
January Jones in X-Men: First Class, 2011 Photo: Photo: Keith Hamshere/Copyright ? 20th Century Fox Licensing/Merchandising / Everett Collection
Black Widow Scarlett Johansson in The Avengers, 2012 Photo: Industrial Light & Magic./Copyright ? ?Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Co / Evere... Black Widow Scarlett Johansson in The Avengers, 2012 Photo: Industrial Light & Magic./Copyright ? ?Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Co / Everett Collection
Catwoman Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises, 2012. Photo: Ron Phillips/? 2012 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND LEGENDARY PICTURES FUNDING... Catwoman Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises, 2012. Photo: Ron Phillips/? 2012 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND LEGENDARY PICTURES FUNDING, LLC
1 / 30

Tags:

  • women in tights
  • batman
  • batwoman
  • catwoman
  • batgirl
  • the dark knight rises
  • slideshow
  • alicia silverstone
  • anne hathaway
  • eartha kitt
  • lynda carter
  • michelle pfeiffer
  • uma thurman
  • anna paquin
  • rebecca romijn
  • More

More Galleries

May 26, 2023
Cannes Film Festival 2023: Red Carpet  There’s more than movies to be shown. Here are all of the looks at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. 
keeping up with the royals May 6, 2023
All the Looks From King Charles III’s Coronation  Robes, crowns, and Katy Perry. 
By Brooke LaMantia
met gala 2023 May 2, 2023
Met Gala 2023: All the Looks  See all the dresses, some on-theme and some, well, not so much — honoring Karl Lagerfeld at the Met Gala. 
By Brooke LaMantia
oscars 2023 Mar. 12, 2023
Oscars Red Carpet 2023: Every Look  Rihanna! Florence Pugh! Michelle Yeoh! They’re all here. 
celebrity Feb. 19, 2023
All the Best Looks From the 2023 BAFTAs Red Carpet  Florence Pugh, Barry Keoghan, and Angela Bassett brought color to the red carpet. 
grammys 2023 Feb. 5, 2023
Every Look From the 2023 Grammys Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Lizzo, Bad Bunny, Adele, Doja Cat, Jack Harlow, Mary J. Blige, Sam Smith, and more.
By Brooke LaMantia
golden globes 2023 Jan. 10, 2023
All the Looks From the 2023 Golden Globes  Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jenna Ortega, Jessica Chastain, Julia Garner, Jeremy Allen White, Angela Bassett, and more. 
parties! Sept. 23, 2022
Katie Holmes, Chloë Sevigny, and More of the Bestest Party Pics This Week  Chanel, Mejuri, and more celebrate. 
parties! Sept. 16, 2022
Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, and More of the Bestest Party Pics This Week  Fendi, Frame, and Coach all celebrated NYFW. 
emmys 2022 Sept. 12, 2022
Emmys 2022: All the Red Carpet Looks  Updating: What Hollywood is wearing to the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards. 
By Olivia Luppino
nyfw spring 2023 Sept. 9, 2022
Gigi Hadid, Chlöe Bailey, and More of the Bestest Party Pics of the Week  Saks Fifth Avenue, Longchamp, and more celebrate the beginning of NYFW. 
rip Sept. 9, 2022
The Queen Sure Did Love to Color-Coordinate  Monochrome for decades. 
red carpet Sept. 6, 2022
The Venice Film Festival Is a Major Fashion Event  Valentino and Gucci and Armani, oh my. 
red carpet June 5, 2022
All the Best Looks at the 2022 MTV Movie and TV Awards  Sydney Sweeney, Vanessa Hudgens, Jay Ellis, and more! 
parties! May 20, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  Harry Styles > everyone! 
parties! May 13, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  Bury me in Dove Cameron’s Saint Sintra skirt. 
parties! May 6, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  Cue the Met Gala after-party FOMO. 
met gala 2022 May 2, 2022
Met Gala 2022: All the Looks [Photos]  Billie Eilish, Kim Kardashian, Michelle Yeoh, Hailey Bieber, Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Blake Lively, and more. 
parties! Apr. 29, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  This one goes to Olivia Rodrigo and her sweater vest. 
parties! Apr. 22, 2022
The Bestest Party Looks of the Week  “Fuck those Zoom tops.” 
  • Style
  • Self
  • Culture
  • Power
  • About The Cut
  • About New York Magazine
  • Newsletters
  • Help
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • We’re Hiring
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Ad Choices
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Accessibility
The Cut is a Vox Media Network. © 2023 Vox Media, LLC. All rights reserved.